Longhorns Country

Top Longhorns Recruiting Target Reacts to Tashard Choice Exit

The Texas Longhorns coaching staff has taken a gut punch with the loss of Tashard Choice to the Detroit Lions.
Zach Dimmitt|
Texas Longhorns running backs coach Tashard Choice against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Texas Longhorns running backs coach Tashard Choice against the Clemson Tigers during the CFP National playoff first round at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium. / Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

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Texas Longhorns

AUSTIN -- The Texas Longhorns coaching staff got hit with a major blow Thursday with the exit of running backs coach Tashard Choice, who will be joining the Detroit Lions in the same role.

Choice will now head back to the NFL, though this time as a coach. He'll reunite with Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who he coached at Georgia Tech.

Tashard Choic
Oct 2, 2011; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Tashard Choice (23) runs with the ball against the Detroit Lions at Cowboys Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images | Matthew Emmons-Imagn Images

His departure already had ripple effects on recruiting Thursday, with four-star 2026 running back Ezavier Crowell announcing shortly after the news broke that he would no longer be visiting the Forty Acres later this summer.

But on the other hand, four-star 2026 running back Javian Osborne appeared to reveal that he's still high on Texas despite the disappointing loss of Choice.

"What Lil Wayne Say 'Let it all work out" #HookEm," Osborne tweeted with a sad face and a Horns up.

It can't be overstated how significant the loss of Choice is from a cultural, recruiting and pure coaching standpoint, but it will be hard not to trust whoever Sarkisian brings in to replace him.

Under Choice's guidance, the Longhorns have sent multiple running backs to the NFL in recent years, including Bijan Robinson (Atlanta Falcons), Roschon Johnson (Chicago Bears), Jonathon Brooks (Carolina Panthers) and Keilan Robinson (Jacksonville Jaguars).

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Zach Dimmitt
ZACH DIMMITT

Zach Dimmitt is the Deputy Editor for Texas Longhorns On SI and Texas A&M Aggies On SI. He also contributes as a writer for the On SI channels of the Oregon Ducks, Baltimore Ravens and Tennessee Titans. He was previously the editor-in-chief of Buffalo Bills on SI, Philadelphia Eagles on SI and Seattle Seahawks on SI. Born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, Dimmitt received his Bachelor’s Degree in journalism at the University of Texas at Austin in 2022. He originally started with SI’s Fan Nation network in 2021, providing extensive coverage of the NFL and NBA along with college football and basketball. In that time, Dimmitt has published thousands of stories and has reached millions of people across multiple fan bases. You can follow him on X at @ZachDimmitt7

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